Massive scientific report on marijuana confirms medical benefits

In a new 400-page analysis
that blows through the current state of scientific knowledge on the
health risks and benefits of marijuana, one of the strongest conclusions
is that it can effectively treat chronic pain in some patients.

The sweeping report, released Thursday by the
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, covered more
than 10,000 scientific studies and came to nearly 100 other conclusions.
Those mostly highlight unanswered questions and insufficient research
related to health effects of marijuana, as well as several risks.
However, the firm verification that marijuana does have legitimate
medical uses—supported by high-quality scientific studies—is a
significant takeaway in light of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s
decision in August to maintain marijuana’s listing as a Schedule I drug.
That is, a drug that has no medical use.

The new report also strongly concludes
that the Schedule I listing creates significant administrative barriers
for researchers wishing to conduct health research on marijuana and its
components—an issue Ars has previously reported on.

“It is often difficult for researchers to gain
access to the quantity, quality, and type of cannabis product necessary
to address specific research questions on the health effects of
cannabis use,” concluded the authors, a panel of experts led by Marie
McCormick, a pediatrician and public health researcher at Harvard.

In a public presentation of their findings,
the report’s authors repeatedly refused to comment on the DEA’s
scheduling of marijuana, noting that the issue was outside the scope of
their scientific review.

The issue was floated during the ongoing
confirmation hearings for Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for
attorney general. Sessions has previously been critical of the Obama
Administration’s stance on the issue, but when asked about it in a
hearing Tuesday, he said:

"I won't commit to never enforcing
federal law… I think some of [the Obama-era guidelines] are truly
valuable in evaluating cases… Using good judgment about how to handle
these cases will be a responsibility of mine. I know it won't be an easy
decision, but I will try to do my duty in a fair and just way."

The authors of today’s report are hopeful that
their evidence-based conclusions will steer discussions, policies, and
decisions moving forward.

The other big takeaways of the report include:

Cannabis and cannabinoids were effective at
treating chronic pain, particularly that related to multiple-sclerosis.
The substances were also effective for treating chemotherapy-related
nausea and vomiting in cancer patients

Cannabis and cannabinoids use is not linked
to cancers that arise from smoking, such as lung and neck cancers.
However, smoking may increase respiratory problems, like chronic phlegm,
if it’s done on a regular basis.

Smoking marijuana while pregnant can result
in lower birth weights, but it’s unclear if there are long-term effects
in children. States in which cannabis use is legal report upticks in
accidental poisonings of children compared with states that don’t allow
for use.

There’s not enough research to know how
marijuana use relates to heart attack, strokes, or diabetes. But there’s
some evidence that smoking pot could trigger a heart attack.

There’s a little evidence that
marijuana could have anti-inflammatory effects, but otherwise there’s
not enough research to know how cannabis and cannabinoids affect the
immune system or those who are immune-compromised.

Using marijuana may increase the
risk of developing mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, anxiety,
and to a lesser extent depression.

There’s a little evidence that
using marijuana increases the risk of using other drugs—mostly tobacco.
However, the committee found a clear link between people who use
marijuana and those prone to developing substance dependence.

Using marijuana immediately impairs
learning, memory, and attention. There’s a little evidence that
impairments could linger in people who stop smoking and—for those who
start young—could affect educational achievement and employment.